Music was always free. For tens of thousands of years the human race had musicians who played music for everyone. Music was art, it was never a commercial product. In the 50s it all changed. Music was enslaved when mass production of records proved a lucrative prospect. What was an expression of the heart was now the hen that laid golden eggs.

Music was like art. You could buy a copy of Rembrandt if you really wanted (and could afford it) but the original was available for everyone to admire. The excitement and fulfillment in observing the original on display is robbed from owning a copy, making the copy into a waste of money. Music is available for everyone to admire in a concert, just like on display, but the copy is worthless if you can't take part in the energy and excitement of watching the original perform his/her art.

We're deep in the process of the liberation of music, but music is still far from being free... not just of money, but also of servitude. Artists deserve more than a handsome reward for their talent and laborious efforts, but holding the art ransom isn't the way to do it. Most people want the original, and anyone who doesn't won't give anything for it anyway.

I have many possible solutions to this, and if my muse will permit it, I will elaborate. :)

Until recently I couldn't listen to Kings of Leon. I still can't, I find them (and him) to be extremely shallow musically and dull. But only until recently it used to bring up the worst memories and throw me back to some dark places. During most of last year when I went to work and the radio stations here would brainwash you with those songs (9-10 times a day, no joke). That in time imprinted those thoughts and emotions on the back of my head along with the sounds and tones of those songs.

It's obviously not Kings of Leon's fault, nor the radio stations here who do their best to play as few songs possible as many times possible. Today Kings of Leon were screaming through the radio after a long recess... I found that those ghosts have left me and the imprint has faded to an echo of the past. It was a cheerful realization that made me almost like Kings of Leon... but I went too far. I don't like them... yet. :) I just thought how both daunting and rewarding the effects of music can be.